New campaign launches today to inspire Torontonians to explore the City’s ravines, sparking a movement to protect the ravines

Toronto, ON – Today, a leading group of organizations will launch Love the Ravines, a new campaign inviting Torontonians to explore, enjoy and protect these spectacular natural features. The campaign educates residents about the many social, environmental and economic benefits they deliver and inspires residents to celebrate these wild places. The campaign website, www.lovetheravines.com, features a video showcasing Toronto’s ravines, a new interactive map of the entrances to Toronto’s ravines, and a petition to make Toronto’s ravines part of Ontario’s Greenbelt. The interactive campaign invites Torontonians to use the hashtag #lovetheravines to share stories via Instagram and Twitter. As part of the launch of this new campaign, there will be a special event this evening. Who: Representatives of Patagonia® Toronto; Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation; Environmental Defence; Toronto Environmental Alliance; DOT DOT DASH; Jean Marmoreo, five time Boston Marathon winner and ravine lover; and members of the Toronto community Event Schedule/Interview Op: 6:30pm: Andrea Reekes, Patagonia Store Manager to welcome crowd. 7pm: Jason van Bruggen, Director to introduce and show short (1 minute) film. 7:05pm: Jean Marmoreo, 5 time Boston Marathon winner, and ravine lover to speak. 7:10pm: Burkhard Mausberg, Executive Director of Friends of the Greenbelt to speak. When: This evening, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Where: Patagonia Toronto, 500 King Street West Toronto’s ravines are vital to the City’s health and well-being. They provide 10,500 hectares of recreational space, improve air quality, control flood waters, and attract tourism. As the City grows these assets also grow in importance. Recent steps taken by the province enable cities to designate urban river valleys as part of Ontario’s Greenbelt, permanently protecting these features and connecting them to a wider network of greenspace that spans 2 million acres from Niagara to Peterborough. -30- For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Jen Mayville, Environmental Defence, 416-323-9521 ext. 228; 905-330-0172 (cell); jmayville@environmentaldefence.ca